By Kolby LaMarche

Burlington’s Department of Public Works is rejecting suggestions that the city has scaled back road salting due to budget woes, telling Burlington Daily News that supplies are solid and practices haven’t changed despite a brutal icy stretch.

The controversy bubbled up this week when residents flagged what looked like skimpy salt spreads and a conversation with an unnamed city employee—sparking worries about slippery corners and intersections during freeze-thaw chaos.

DPW shot down the rumors head-on, however, saying “The City’s current salt stockpile is healthy and there has been no recent change in policy or salt application.” 

They noted the $285,000 winter budget is half spent already thanks to nonstop icing. Sidewalks got a fresh salting just days ago, the department said, and the middle-of-the-road pattern? Blame the spinner equipment bolted center on the trucks.

DPW also reaffirmed its commitment to using salt judiciously to protect Lake Champlain’s ecosystem.

Burlington typically applies 3,500–4,000 tons of road salt annually for municipal roads and extensive sidewalks, per DPW reports. Comparisons are challenging due to varying road miles, traffic, and terrain, but seven Chittenden County towns (including Burlington) average around 12,500 tons combined in a winter.

Smaller rural towns, around the state, use far less. Hyde Park, population 3,000 has slashed it’s usage by 40% via brine and training, saving costs while still keeping roads safe.

Statewide, VTrans alone uses 125,000+ tons on highways.

Road salt, mainly sodium chloride, effectively prevents ice buildup but acts as a persistent pollutant. But it washes into waterways, elevating chloride levels that harm aquatic life, corrode infrastructure, and contaminate groundwater. 

In the Lake Champlain basin, chloride concentrations have increased over time, though still below federal thresholds for drinking water. However, several streams exceed these limits. 

Recent University of Vermont (UVM) research, supported by Lake Champlain Sea Grant, highlighted practical ways municipalities could reduce salt without sacrificing safety. 

In December 2025, UVM researchers launched an interactive online StoryMap detailing sustainable road salting practices across 11 Chittenden County towns.

Led by Dr. Kris Stepenuck, the project involved interviews with road foremen to identify effective technologies, such as pavement temperature sensors to avoid ineffective salting below 15°F, segmented plows for better mechanical snow removal, and pre-wetting salt with brine to minimize scatter and improve adhesion.

Burlington incorporates similar strategies, including magnesium chloride additives and calibrated equipment, as part of statewide efforts promoted by the Vermont Agency of Transportation and environmental groups.

Challenges remain, though, particularly with private contractors who may apply excess salt due to liability concerns over slip-and-fall risks—potentially contributing up to 50% of chloride loads in some urban watersheds. Efforts to certify private applicators and provide liability protections have stalled in the legislature.

Another factor complicating winter maintenance for the city are aging roads and sidewalks. 

Potholes, cracks, and uneven surfaces trap melting water that refreezes into thick black ice, scatter salt unevenly, and allow ice to bond more tightly to the pavement. 

Clearing these spots, if done, typically requires extra salt or repeated treatments. The damage-salt-damage loop not only hikes costs but also undermines efforts to reduce overall usage for Lake Champlain’s protection—smooth pavement spreads salt better and needs less of it.

The City added in a statement that if they do run out of salt this season, they have a reserve fund to ensure a continuation of salting services.